Everything tastes better with friends. Cooking or baking for friends makes it less of a chore or a duty, it becomes a joy to share. Tuesday Mornings is a time for friends and we get together and drink coffee, tea, water, whatever, eat some good foods and work on projects individually. It is a time to share experiences, joy and pleasures and sometimes pain and sorrow. My Tuesday Mornings is a life saver from ennui and stress.

In a food processor:1- Place flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, orange zest or peel and butter.2- Pulse 7-8 times until mixed well.3- Add dried fruit and sour cream.4- Pulse a few more seconds until mixed.5- Remove and divide in half.6- Place in plastic wrap and roll into circle.7- Peel off plastic and cut into 6 wedges.8- Place on parchment paper covered cookie sheet.9- Bake 15-18 minutes.

Important note: Even if they do not look “done” after 18 minutes do not be tempted to bake them further. They will be perfect.

On another note, I have a tendency to keep useful things for future use. Near future. In my refrigerator is a bag of orange peels. When I need an orange sauce or syrup, when I need some orange zest or taste, I use those peels.

Scents and smells are most compelling in most people’s lives. The comfort of home and that special smell of Constant Comment wafting in the room as you talked to your favorite Aunt, or the scent of that lovely woman who bent down and kissed your cheek as a child, or even the smell of frying onions that Mom delivered when you came back from school.

Whatever the scent, whichever the scent, it accosted you and stayed with you for many years. Until some time in the present, it blew by you again and you stopped for that lovely moment to remember something good.

Most of the scents and smells for me are positive thoughts. The mother of my childhood friend made the most impression on me as an eight year old. She always smelled of wonder and far away gardens. I adored her.

Don’t you love it when people give you dirty looks because, you are, there?

My husband, who is very sweet and very kind, to everyone I might add, happened to be standing, waiting to take his seat. This woman, stood before his chair, not paying attention to him at all and she was upset, when she noticed. He did not hassle her. Nor ask her to move, nothing. She walked out after snatching her coffee giving him looks that would kill.
What gives?
Annoyed

Dear Annoyed,

Egocentricity, that is the quintessential problem that permeates the whole country. You ran into a woman who thinks too much of herself. She believes, most probably, that the space around her, belongs to her. As if we could buy, gather or own a piece of space besides where we absolutely are.

Those are the people, who imply, by their behavior and interaction, with everyone else, that they are more valuable. The same people who think gratitude is a form of groveling, and kindness a form of weakness.

What the hell is that about? He. Was. In. Her. Way. He did not notice, her presence. So, she was annoyed that he was there at all. Either you give these cretins a wide birth where they can ignore you; or you step on their toes and get dirty looks. Pick your poison.

How dare he encroach on her space. How dare he exist! Someone, who, dared exist, in her, immediate domain.

Those are the low lives that can never be happy, with anything, either given to them, or obtained, by unholy methods.They will take for the rest of their lives from whoever is dumb is enough to fall for their snare.

Take it easy, you want to say! Live a little. Give it a rest and let others be. No harm will come to you, if someone is close by. Let others exist and live their own lives, even if it inconveniences you some.